Edward John Eyre

“ On the other hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter a country which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, covered by an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little rain could be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense ”

“ As long as ever a horse could walk, they considered it a hardship not to ride, and as long as there was an ounce of provisions left they considered themselves ill-used if not allowed to eat to excess. It was of no avail telling them that, if the horses were ridden they could never get through the journey, and that we should have to carry everything ourselves—or, that, if we consumed the little stock of provisions we had all at once, we must starve afterwards. The fact of myself and overseer walking and living on the same allowance of food as themselves was no argument to them ”

“ Our journey thus became protracted to a period far beyond what had been calculated upon; and it became imperative, not merely to economise the provisions we had brought with us, but, eventually, to destroy two of our horses as an additional supply of food to the party. In the midst of these difficulties, and then barely half-way across the Great Bight, my very small party was broken up by an event as distressing as it was tragical, and I was left alone with a native of King George's Sound. ”

“ This extensive region is of the most desolate and barren character imaginable; almost entirely without grass, destitute of timber, and in many parts densely covered with an impenetrable scrub. There was no surface water, neither were there creeks or watercourses of any description. The only supply of water procured by the party through this dreary waste was obtained by digging in the drifts of pure white sand found along the coast at places where the great fossil bank receded a little from the immediate margin of the sea. The supply thus obtained was very precarious ”

“ Upon rounding the head of the Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who showed me where both grass and water were to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys (probably one hundred miles) , or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the Great Bight. ”

“ Eyre's connexion with the colony of Southern Australia commenced towards the close of 1837, with an undertaking characterised by the same spirit of adventurous hardihood that has enabled him to accomplish so much as a discoverer with comparatively limited resources. The practicability of driving cattle overland westward from New South Wales to Adelaide was at that time considered extremely problematical in Sydney, and few were willing to be the first to risk their property on such an adventure. ”

“ So close, indeed, and so strong was the nature of the scrub, that we had much difficulty in forcing our way through it, even on horseback. This dreary region extended round Streaky Bay, Smoky Bay, Denial Bay, and as far as the 133rd parallel of longitude, a little beyond Point Bell, this being the most westerly point I could reach, as the scarcity of grass and the absence of all water compelled me to return in spite of my most anxious desire to have continued our route two degrees farther west. ”

“ The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three or four hundred feet) , which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are composed ”

“ The range was of granite, and from its summit I could see to an immense distance. To the north the ranges rose in lofty broken outline, tier behind tier, of very barren rocky appearance, as far as the eye could reach; to the eastward our view was interrupted by the hills we were travelling under; to the west of these hills the country had gradually changed to a complete sandy desert, interspersed with scrub ”

“ Sturt, of the great extent and rich character of the land they contain, and though nearly all are more or less covered with reeds and are partially subject to inundation, I consider this portion of land to be as rich and valuable as any I have seen, and I have only felt surprise that so few have thought it worth their while to examine the land bordering on such a noble river. After leaving the lake, I found a good pass through the ranges about 15 miles to the southward of Adelaide, and returned to town on the morning of the 29th June. ”

“ The country lying between Flinders Range on the one side, and the table-land on the other, and the north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a character that the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in which the fall may be. On my previous visits I felt convinced it was northerly, but I am now inclined to think the drainage from Lake Torrens, in seasons of wet, is to the S., into the head of the gulf ”

“ Beyond the point at which I crossed the river, the country (as far as I was enabled to judge from a distant view) appeared to improve somewhat; many clear and seemingly grassy patches were seen on the slopes towards the river: and good runs, for either sheep or cattle, might probably be found in this direction. After crossing the river, we met, for the first time, with stunted trees of the kind called the mahogany; but it was not until we had passed some miles to the westward of Cape Riche that we saw any large trees, or got into a country that could properly be called a timber one. ”

“ Under these hills we continued our course on the west side, and found that as we advanced to the northward they increased in elevation, at first taking a course somewhat west of north, and afterwards inclining a little to the eastward of that point. For some distance we found numerous creeks taking their rise among the hills, dry generally in the flat country, but with springs and small water holes among the hills; these all fall westerly towards the Gulf, through a country more or less open, and divided by belts of scrub and pine brush, similar to what we met with near the Murray. ”

“ As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to the eastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until in latitude 29 20' S. they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a very low and level country, consisting of large stony plains, varied occasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject to recent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing upon them; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth and even, as if washed so by the action of the water. ”

“ It became, therefore, imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should circumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens again, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake I spent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formed the lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flinders Range were still composed of quartz and ironstone. ”

“ At about longitude 135° 25' E., we came to a singular mass of lofty ranges extending far to the northward and to the eastward. These ranges were devoid of timber, of a barren appearance, and consisted of granite and porphyritic granite, but principally the latter. There were neither creeks nor springs emanating from them, and the land around, to their very base, was low, barren, and scrubby, the hills themselves being nearly overrun with the prickly grass. ”

“ At the time of our return, the scrub still continued very dense near the sea; and the only improvement I had observed in the character of the country was, that the land a few miles back from the coast was gradually becoming more elevated, and the intervals of plains or small openings among the scrub were getting somewhat larger and more numerous than we had met with before j but no heights were visible, nor were there the least indications of a probability of water being found more to the westward. ”

“ They illustrate the character of the man—explain in some measure how he has been able to accomplish what he has already achieved—and lead us to hope that the material interests of his adopted country, and geographical science, will be yet further benefited by the exertions of so resolute and enterprising a spirit. ”

“ We then passed a tract of high open country, principally covered with prickly grass, and at intervals with small patches of scrub, crossing two running streams emanating from the hills to the northward, but which both became dry in their channels a little west of where we crossed them. After leaving the latter of these in about 33° 18', we passed under the base of some bare hills rising abruptly from the level of the land around, and forming the commencement of the range running to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and in which Mount Brown and Mount Arden are situated. ”

“ From Port Lincoln, he, after being repeatedly baffled, but never discouraged, succeeded in tracing the whole line of coast westerly as far as King George's Sound, a distance of 1 300 miles.
Mr. Eyre's tracks, on the various expeditions now recapitulated, will be found laid down from the original tracings on Mr. Arrowsmith's last and excellent map of Australia. As a means of adding something more of interest and detail to this meagre outline, it has been judged advisable to subjoin Mr. Eyre's own accounts of his excursions, as given in his reports to government. ”